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SoEzzy
BBQ Super All Star
Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 13183
Location: SLC, UT
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 Posted: Jul 15 2011 Post subject: |
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| MooniesBBQ wrote: | | BBQMAN wrote: | Well okey dokey then.
I'm glad that I run all wood pits too!
They just happen to be gas assist as opposed to charcoal assist!  |
You've got an odd sense of humor.
Moonie |
You are not wrong there!
A stand up guy none the less, with a heart as big as a house!
But his sense of humor is an acquired taste, you got that right! @ BBQMAN
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chachahutbbq
Newbie
Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Posts: 69
Location: Bushwick - Brooklyn - NY
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| Posted: Jul 15 2011 Post subject: |
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Moonie - curious about your plan to handle ash & live re-loading with those vaults. Using similar cookers out in my cook house, I know (at least for the Backwoods) live ashes falling out is inevitable during fire tending. I use an old ash pan to catch them & wet down the concrete floor.
How are you handling it in an indoor environment?
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MooniesBBQ
BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 505
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
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| Posted: Jul 15 2011 Post subject: |
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| chachahutbbq wrote: | Moonie - curious about your plan to handle ash & live re-loading with those vaults. Using similar cookers out in my cook house, I know (at least for the Backwoods) live ashes falling out is inevitable during fire tending. I use an old ash pan to catch them & wet down the concrete floor.
How are you handling it in an indoor environment? |
chachahutbbq - If you look at pitmaker's website, their is an option for a carbon or stainless ashpan. When I was ordering my pits I asked Victor about that and he said a full size baking pan will fit perfectly to catch ash. It just so happens the place I'm leasing has about 10 of those. The pan goes into the firebox under the sliding fire box grate, and it sticks out enough for me to get easy access to reload. The pan won't be in there unless I'm reloading, it's not permanent.
Off to the restaurant to finish knocking out the wall so I can wheel the pits under the hood! I'll take pics and post them here.
Moonie
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chachahutbbq
Newbie
Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Posts: 69
Location: Bushwick - Brooklyn - NY
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| Posted: Jul 15 2011 Post subject: |
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| MooniesBBQ wrote: | | If you look at pitmaker's website, their is an option for a carbon or stainless ashpan. When I was ordering my pits I asked Victor about that and he said a full size baking pan will fit perfectly to catch ash. It just so happens the place I'm leasing has about 10 of those. The pan goes into the firebox under the sliding fire box grate, and it sticks out enough for me to get easy access to reload. The pan won't be in there unless I'm reloading, it's not permanent. |
Backwoods provides the same sort of ash pan & sliding commercial fire box. Gotta say - unless Pitmaker has a way of magically trapping ash (live & dead) in that pan during reload (or even cleaning) - you are going to find it on the floor.
You're also probably going to want the pan in there when running to catch the ash produced by the fire box - it'll make clean up MUCH easier to just slide that pan out & dump it.
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Frank Davis
Bushwick Grill Club |
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MooniesBBQ
BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 505
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
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| Posted: Jul 15 2011 Post subject: |
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| chachahutbbq wrote: | | MooniesBBQ wrote: | | If you look at pitmaker's website, their is an option for a carbon or stainless ashpan. When I was ordering my pits I asked Victor about that and he said a full size baking pan will fit perfectly to catch ash. It just so happens the place I'm leasing has about 10 of those. The pan goes into the firebox under the sliding fire box grate, and it sticks out enough for me to get easy access to reload. The pan won't be in there unless I'm reloading, it's not permanent. |
Backwoods provides the same sort of ash pan & sliding commercial fire box. Gotta say - unless Pitmaker has a way of magically trapping ash (live & dead) in that pan during reload (or even cleaning) - you are going to find it on the floor.
You're also probably going to want the pan in there when running to catch the ash produced by the fire box - it'll make clean up MUCH easier to just slide that pan out & dump it. |
chachahutbbq - Thanks for the recommendations, keeping it in there will definitely help with clean up like you said.
Here's some new progress pics from tonight!
Firebox with baking sheet underneath
My babies in their new home!
We didn't have the right saw to cut the 2x4's up into the ceiling, so we cut them out and will finish this weekend.
Floor, counter and lights are all the construction left!
Moonie
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MooniesBBQ
BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 505
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
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| Posted: Jul 16 2011 Post subject: |
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I got the pits all seasoned up today. I put about 2-3lb of Royal Oak in each and lit them up. They settled in at 275 degrees and was still at 275 when I left 3 hours later. I'm still waiting on my 1/2 cord of red oak. I think we'll do some beef ribs tomorrow to christen the smokers.
I really enjoyed how much "smell" was outside. Once I put some meat in the pits the smell outside will be a nice draw.
Moonie
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chachahutbbq
Newbie
Joined: 20 Mar 2011
Posts: 69
Location: Bushwick - Brooklyn - NY
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| Posted: Jul 18 2011 Post subject: Don't forget Guru back up |
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Moonie -
I see you're running the vaults with Gurus. A little advice from someone also using Gurus - have back ups for everything - including the controller. Just had one of my DigiQs go a bit HAL 9000 on me & now it runs the blower continuously regardless of pit temp. As BBQ Guru is now in the busy season - it will take 8-10 days for a replacement (already on order) or the same amount or more to do factory troubleshooting (I send the controller back). Will be sending it back when the replacement arrives. Luckily I am closed until Thursday but I'll be doing some semi-manual cooking for a bit.
Technology is your friend until it isn't.
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Frank Davis
Bushwick Grill Club |
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MooniesBBQ
BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 505
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
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| Posted: Jul 18 2011 Post subject: Re: Don't forget Guru back up |
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| chachahutbbq wrote: | Moonie -
I see you're running the vaults with Gurus. A little advice from someone also using Gurus - have back ups for everything - including the controller. Just had one of my DigiQs go a bit HAL 9000 on me & now it runs the blower continuously regardless of pit temp. As BBQ Guru is now in the busy season - it will take 8-10 days for a replacement (already on order) or the same amount or more to do factory troubleshooting (I send the controller back). Will be sending it back when the replacement arrives. Luckily I am closed until Thursday but I'll be doing some semi-manual cooking for a bit.
Technology is your friend until it isn't. |
Frank, thank you for the advise. I'd really like to get a stoker to control both pits. I like the web connectivity of the stoker and the ability to monitor the pits and meat from home. Then I can use the two gurus as a backup. The prepper slogan is 2 is 1 and 1 is none right 
Worked all day today on the wall and lights. This week it's all about ansul inspection and fire Marshall sign off. We will be open in 2.5 weeks so it's coming down to the wire!
Moonie
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Soapm
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Jul 18 2011 Post subject: |
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| Good luck to you Moonie, those pits look nice. They ought to make some prize deserving Q... |
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daddywoofdawg
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 22 Jul 2008
Posts: 3892
Location: Starkweather,ND
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| Posted: Jul 18 2011 Post subject: |
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Thought:go to a auto parts store and pick up a couple of those pans that you put under your car to keep oil drips off the drive way.helps with hot ashes and grease.
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MooniesBBQ
BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 505
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
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| Posted: Jul 21 2011 Post subject: |
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Ok, big update! I'm just going to put it in list order.
1 ) Got my 1/2 cord red oak! See pic below
2 ) We did our first run of all beef sausage today!. We did 10# of a 73/27 mix and I used 2Tbs of my brisket rub per pound for the seasoning.
3 ) Yesterday I was in the ServSafe class all day, so that is done.
4 ) The workers will be done today or tomorrow with all the health department requirements.
5 ) The wall is ready for paint, and I will be starting on the new counter this evening.
6 ) I found a very old solid maple butcher block on craigslist that I'm going to refinish and use to chop the meat. I talked to the health department and they have no issues with this as long as it's 100% maple and has no cracks/roughness.
7 ) Gas is getting turned on next week, that's the last of the utilities.
8 ) We tested the soda machine that is already there, and it works including the ice machine. We made the decision to get it serviced and to use it a long side the iced down soda's.
9 ) Grease collection is setup
10 ) Friends are coming up tonight to help paint the inside
I haven't got a chance to cook in the smokers yet. Tonight I will be putting the sausage on for everyone to test out while we work! I'll update with cooked pics.
We are getting real close, and as long as the business license or OC license go smoothly I should have my food service permit mid next week.
1/2 cord split red oak
First run of sausage!
Travis at the local meat market making the links. He's been doing this for 27 years, and knocked it out in about 10 minutes
Links ready to go on tonight
Moonie
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MooniesBBQ
BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 505
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
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| Posted: Jul 21 2011 Post subject: |
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Oh, another item... I catered the antique auction monday night. I made pulled pork sandwiches, beans and slaw. I called the owner today and he said people were raving about the beans and PP. I just put them on the WSM cause I had to work from home on monday and couldn't be at the restaurant. Soon though.... soon...
Moonie
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MooniesBBQ
BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 505
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
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| Posted: Jul 21 2011 Post subject: |
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I couldn't help myself!
The spices, texture and taste is EXACTLY what I was looking for. The natural casing had a nice pop when you bit into it, and the meat texture held it's form but crumbled when you chew it. The heavy pepper definitely leaves a nice spice after taste! Nothing like getting it right on the first try! Next run will have pickled jalapeno's then eventually we'll be doing a chipotle too!
Moonie
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MooniesBBQ
BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 505
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
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| Posted: Jul 21 2011 Post subject: |
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We just got back from working on the place, the girls got a lot of painting done. I finished up the wall construction and got it all painted. I smoked about 15 links on the smoker, and the links came out awesome. Here's the general consensus:
Me - Sausage is almost perfect, next time add a little more fat
Wife - Loves it, but thought for the general public is might be a tad too spicy(pepper)
Friend's wife - loved it don't change it
Friend - Didn't like the "chew" of the natural casing, loved the flavor also thought it might be a little spicy for the general public.
After this feedback I'm going to back off a little on the pepper to mild out the spice. We'll also go a head and make a batch of the jalapeno.
Moonie
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Jarhead
BBQ All Star
Joined: 11 Oct 2009
Posts: 7355
Location: Marionville, Home of the White Squirrels, Missouri
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| Posted: Jul 21 2011 Post subject: |
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Lookin' good Moonie.
Looks like you nailed that sausage. Rather than adding more fat, have you thought about a binder of some sort? (powdered milk?)
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Poppa's PTL Club
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Posts: 1578
Location: Lawrenceville, GA
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| Posted: Jul 21 2011 Post subject: |
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I love that you're developing your own sausage with the meat market. Have you had any discussions with them about keeping the finished product exclusive to you? Does that matter to you?
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BBQMAN
BBQ Super All Star
Joined: 13 Jun 2005
Posts: 15475
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Jul 21 2011 Post subject: |
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Great looking sausage to be sure! 
Nice looking pile of toothpicks as well.
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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005. |
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BBQMAN
BBQ Super All Star
Joined: 13 Jun 2005
Posts: 15475
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Jul 21 2011 Post subject: |
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| Jarhead wrote: | Lookin' good Moonie.
Looks like you nailed that sausage. Rather than adding more fat, have you thought about a binder of some sort? (powdered milk?) |
Most lactose intolerant folks would not expect powdered milk in sausage.
Is that a common practice?
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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
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Jarhead
BBQ All Star
Joined: 11 Oct 2009
Posts: 7355
Location: Marionville, Home of the White Squirrels, Missouri
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| Posted: Jul 21 2011 Post subject: |
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Mike, I didn't think about that. DUH 
How about a Soy Binder?
Another thought, maybe a finer grind?
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Jarhead's World Blog
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MooniesBBQ
BBQ Pro
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 505
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
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| Posted: Jul 21 2011 Post subject: |
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| BBQMAN wrote: | | Jarhead wrote: | Lookin' good Moonie.
Looks like you nailed that sausage. Rather than adding more fat, have you thought about a binder of some sort? (powdered milk?) |
Most lactose intolerant folks would not expect powdered milk in sausage.
Is that a common practice? |
I'm not lactose intolerant, I've got a full on dairy allergy! When I eat dairy I get full body arthritis. Gives me a pounding headache too. I went to a chiropractor for 9 years then I got allergy tested.
Jarhead - Texas sausage is supposed to be "crumbly" and not a fine grind. In fact some places like Kruez Market, the sausage almost falls apart when you eat it. I was thinking about this last night, and I think I'll have him keep the casing uncut until after it cooks. I noticed a lot of juice dripping out of the ends while cooking, and if we keep it a chain until cooked it should retain more of that rendered fat.
I got my fire marshall inspection done this morning, so Monday it's building inspection then it's up to the city and health department. I was getting a little anxious because we have to have our soft launch on Aug 5th. I'm flying in my buddy from Texas on the 4th-7th so he can help me out and make sure things run smooth.
Moonie
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Last edited by MooniesBBQ on Jul 21 2011; edited 1 time in total |
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